Conveying-service apparatus



2 55heets-Slmat 1.

- (No Model.)

J; 0. MARTIN. CONVEYING SERVICE APPARATUS.

2 2m mw WM .6 v WWW (No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. G. MARTIN.

commune SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 431,666. Patented Ju1y 8, 1890.

be automatically delivered.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH C. MARTIN, OF FLORENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MARTIN CASI-I CARRIER COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

CONVEYING-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,666, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed April 28, 1890. Serial No. 34:9,770. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH O. MARTIN, of Florence, county of Hampshire, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Conveying Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to a conveying apparatus adapted for use in stores for carrying money back and forth between the cashiers desk and the stations at which the sales are made and for other analogous uses.

The invention is shown embodied in an apparatus the main features of which are substantially like that shown in Letters Patent No. 399,150, granted to me March 5, 1889, the present invention relating mainly to novel features of construction of the track at the terminal station and of the conveyors co-opcrating therewith, and also to novel features of construction of the track at stations along the line where the several conveyors are to The main portion of the track and of the carriers and the means for propelling the carriers along the track by an endless cord or cable and the clutches upon the carriers in the apparatus, forming the subject of this invention, may be and are shown as substantially the same as in my former patent, No. 899,150, and the means for delivering diiferent carriers at dif- -ferent points on what is called the returntracknamely, that on which the carriers return from the cashiers desk to the counters or sales-stationsare also substantially as shown in said patent, the said carriers having flanges which engage with deliveringtracks, which are inclined to the line of the main tracks, so that the carriers run ofi from the main track to the delivery-point while supported by said flanges on the deliverytrack, means being provided for disconnecting their clutches from the cords after they have traveled a certain distance upon the delivery track. In apparatus of this kind where several similar tracks converge at one main station, if the carriers co-operating with the different tracks are alike there is danger that the operator may place. a given carrier on the wrong track, so that it will be conveyed to the wrong destination; and one object of the present invention is to positivelyprevent such occurrence, which is accomplished by providing the carriers belonging to diiferent tracks with a ward or projection, which is in the same location with relation to the body of the box onall carriers belonging to one track, while all other carriers will engage by their wards with the said surface, which will prevent the carriers from coming to position to enter upon the main tracks or guides. The cord-engaging jaws of the cord grip or clutch on the carriers are separated or open when the carrier is delivered from the track, and should be in open position when the car' rier is placed upon the track again, so that they may be closed upon and engaged by the cord; but the said jaws may become accidentally closed in handling the box While off the track, in which case the cam, which is intended to close them upon the cord, would not operate, and they would not engage properly with the cord when applied to the track in the usual manner. In order to obviate such occurrence the tracks are, in accordance with this invention, provided With projections or cams at the points where the carriers are to be applied, which in the actof applying the carrier to the track engage with the clutch if closed and open the same before it arrives at the cam which is intended to close the clutch upon the cord, so, that the carrier may be originally applied to the track with the clutch in either open orclosedrposition, and it will be automatically closed upon the cord without attention on the part of the op- 5 track, portions of the main rails, which at other points retain the carrier positively in.

line with the main track, were removed in order to permit the carrier to deviate from the line of the main trackin passing off therefrom to the delivery-track, and consequently those carriers which were intended to pass by a given station were not engaged and guided so positively by the main track in passing a station or delivery point as in other parts of the track, but remain in engagement with the main track by the force of gravity only,while at all other points they were positively engaged and restrained from moving away from the line of the main track in any direction. In order to insure guidance for the carriers that are to pass by the stations at deliverypoints, the main track, in accordance with the present invention, is provided with movable flanges or guide portions, which are normally held, by elasticity or otherwise, in position to guide the carriers along the main track the same at other points, but which yield sufiiciently to enable the carrier to pass off from the main track when it is positively guided away by engagement with the delivery-.track. By this construction it is possible to have the delivering-tracks extend outward from the main tracks in any direction, either above or below, and to have delivery-stations upon a vertical portion of the track without danger of imperfect operation, while in the construction shown in my former patent, as the force of gravity was depended upon to keep the carriers on the main track at such points, it was possible only to have the stations in the substantially-horizontal portions of the track and to deliver the carriers upward from the main track at the stations.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a conveying apparatus showing the construction at the terminal station or cashiers desk, atwhich the carriers are applied to be returned to the different counters; Fig. 2, aplan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse section thereof on line as, Fig. 1, showing one of the carriers in end elevation; Fig. 4, a perspective view of the track at one of the delivery-stations; and Figs. 5 and 6, a side elevation and transverse section, respectively, of one of the rails of the main track at a delivery-station.

Each way or line of transportation comprises two tracks, which are for the most part arranged one above the other, and generally support the carriers mainly above the tracks, although the tracks and carriers are so constructed that the carriers will be positively retained in-the track whatever may be the position of one relative to the other. The terms above and below and top and bottom, 850., will be hereinafter used as applying to the carriers and tracks when in horizontal position with the carriers resting upon the tracks.

The carrier a, best shown in Fig. 3, is sub stantially the same as in my former patent,

No. 399,150, with the exception of the clutchoperating handle, which will be hereinafter referred to, the said carrier consisting of a box havinglaterally-p rojecting ribs or flanges a along the sides near the bottom, which engage with longitudinal members 11 b of the track-one above and one below-so that when the carrier is once placed upon and embraced by the said track it cannot be removed laterally therefrom without a permanent removal of a portion of the tracks themselves or a temporary movement of some portion of the tracks. The tracks are shown in this instance as each comprising two guideways or rails composed of channel-shaped strips 1), the edges 19 b of which embrace between them the lateral flanges or projections a of the struction and dimensions so far as their relations to the carriers are concerned, enter one station, there is danger that the carriers may become confused and be placed upon the return-track of another line than the one on which they were received, and one object of the present invention is to prevent such occurrence, which result is accomplished by the following means,bestshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3: The return-track where the carriers are to be applied is provided with a platform 0, having flanges or side walls 0 that correspond with the outer part of the track-rails I), while the platform 0 is on a line with the lower flanges b of the track. The platform 0 with its side walls 0 thus serves to guide the carrier until its flanges a enter the track proper at the point 19 and unless the carrier comes down fully to a bearing on the platformc, its flanges a will not be received under the flanges b of the track.

IIO

In order to insure that only the carriers belonging to a given track can be started on that track, those carriers belonging to any one track are provided on their under surface with a projection or pin d, (see Fig. 3,) the said pin d being at the same distance from the side of the box on all boxes belonging to any one track and being at different distances from the sides of the boxes belonging to different tracks, and the platform 0 of each trackis provided with a groove or slot 0 in proper position to receive the pins (1 of carriers belong ing to that track only, so that the carriers may come down to a bearing on the said platform and may be pushed off from the said platform onto the track proper B If attempt should be made to place the wrong carrier on any track, the pin d of such carrier would ning over suitable pulleys e in the direction indicated by the arrow in several figures, and when the carriers are applied to the track they have to be connectedwith said cord by a suitable grip or clutch, shown as of substantially the same construction as that represented in my former patents. The said clutch comprises a stationary jaw or member f, proj ecting downward from the bottom of the carrier and provided near its end with a recess to receivethe cord, and a movable member consisting of a finger or projection f at the end of an arm f connected with a rock-shaft f having its. bearing in the box and being provided with a cam acted upon by a spring that tends to hold the rock-shaft in either one or two positions, about a quarter turn apart, as described in said patent. In one of said positions the clutch member f is close to the member f and grips the cord, the pull of which tends to turn the movable clutch-member in the direction to make it grip more tightly. In the other position the clutch-member f 3 is near the edge of the box and remote from the member f, so as not to engage with the cord.

In applying the box to the track so that it shall be propelled along the same it is necessary that the clutch should be moved from its open to its closed position, so as to catch upon the cord which runs between the jaws when in their separated position, being nearer the stationary jaw f, and such closing of the 'clutch is effected by a cam g, which when the box is pushed by the operator from the platform 0 toward the track in the direction that it is to be propelled engages the arm f and turns it on its rock-shaft toward the other member f of the clutch, so that it grips the cord, this operation being substantially the same as describedin my former patent, except that in the construction there shown the rockshaft of the clutch was extended above the top of the box and provided with another arm which was engaged by the cams for opening and closing the clutch. In the present construction this upper arm is dispensed with and all operations of the clutch, either by the operator or by the cams, and projections of the apparatus are performed on the portions f f of the movable clutch member. If the box should be applied to the track with the clutch already closed both members f f would come at one side of the cord, and the cam g would produce no effect upon the clutch, and the carrier would not be engaged, and it would be necessary for the operator to remove the box from the track and open the clutch and again apply it. In order 'to obviate the necessity of thus opening the clutch by hand in case it is closed when applied to the track, the track is provided with a clutch-opening projection h, which is in advance of the clutch-arm f f, if the latter is in closed position when the carrier is moved off from the said platform toward the track, so that it will engage the arm f of the clutch and swing it round to open position, so that the cord will be between the two clutch-jaws, and the clutch will then be closed properly on the cord bythe action of the cam When the carrier has thus been applied to the return-track, it will travel along the samenntil delivered therefrom by the conjoint action of flanges m on the car- I track are removed to permit the flanges a of the carriers that are to be delivered at that station to pass off from the main track, when they are guided and supported by the auxiliary track acting on the flanges m.

In accordance with the present invention a portion Z1 of the upper flange b of the track is made movable, being preferably in the form of a spring tongue or strip, which normally remains in position to engage the main flanges a of the carriers, so as to keep all the carriers in line with the main track except those which are positively caused to deviate from the line of the main track by the action of the auxiliary track. When the carriers pass oft to the delivering-track their flanges a bear upon the movable portion 12 of the main guideway-flange until the said flanges a are raised above the main-track flange 17 when they pass out from beneath the portions b which spring back into their normal position, making the main track prac-' tically unbroken at the stations or deliverypoints for all carriers except those that are to be delivered at that point. By this construction a station can be made on a vertical portion of the track without danger of the carriers becoming accidentally displaced from the main track, as might happen if the upper flanges were wholly removed for a short distance, as in the construction shown in my former patent. After the carriers have traveled some distance along the auxiliary track their clutches are opened by a projection 7L2,

which strikes upon the arm f of the clutch itself, the operation being the same as that of the clutch-opener 7?. at the beginning of the return-track already described, and it being necessary that the said clutch-opener It should be placed at a sufficient height above the main track to permit other carriers that are to pass by the station to pass beneath.

The construction of the forwarding-track may be the same as that shown and described in my former patent, and forms no part of the present invention.

I claim I 1. The combination of the main tracks and propelling-cord with a terminal station at which carriers are applied to the said track, the said station and carriers being constructed with registering parts, whereby only the carriers belonging to a given track can be applied thereto, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the main track and propelling-cord movable parallel thereto with a carrier adapted to be supported and guided on the said main track having a clutch for engaging said propelling-cord, said track being provided at the point Where the carriers are applied thereto with a clutch-opening and clutch-closing cam or projection arranged to act consecutively on the clutch when applied to the track and moved in the direction in which it is to be propelled, substantially as described.

'3. The combination of the carrier with a main track composed of two opposite guide- Ways, each having upper and under guide surfaces or flanges that engage corresponding guide-surfaces on the carrier above and below, portions of one of said rail-guide surfaces being movable at the points Where the carriers are to be removed from the track and yielding when the carrier is positively guided away from the line of the main traclg'substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH C. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

Jos. P. LIVERMORE, J AS. J. MALONEY. 

